Bangor’s Davis drops split decision in MMA bout

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Chuck “Cold Steel” O’Neil used a big third-round performance to score a split-decision upset over Bangor’s Marcus Davis on Saturday night during the main event of the “W-1: Reloaded” mixed martial arts card held at the BankUnited Center located on the University of Miami campus

O’Neil, a Massachusetts native and former “Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 participant, improved his record to 9-4. Davis fell to 20-9 after absorbing his first loss in four bouts since being released from the top-tier Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) last January.

O’Neil got off to the faster start in the welterweight (170-pound) bout and, won the first round, but Davis — also known as “The Irish Hand Grenade” — rallied in the second round to leave the bout much in doubt entering the final five-minute period.

Each fighter registered a takedown in the third period, but O’Neil gained control in the final two minutes, cutting Davis with an elbow and maintaining control despite the referee stopping the bout briefly so doctors could check the bleeding Davis.

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Two of the three judges scored the bout 29-28 for O’Neil, with the third scoring it 29-28 for Davis.